Gary Groth (born 1954) is an American comic book publisher, critic, editor in chief of the Comics Journal and co-founder of Fantagraphics Books. 1954 (MCMLIV) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... A comic book is a magazine or book containing the art form of comics. ... A publisher is a person or entity which engages in the act of publishing. ... A critic (from Greek κριτικός, kritikós - one who discerns, from Ancient Greek κριτής, krités, a judge) is a person who offers reasoned judgement or analysis, value judgement, interpretation, or observation. ... The Comics Journal is an American magazine of news and criticism pertaining to comic books and strips, renowned for its in-depth interviews, often scathing reviews, and an editorial ethos that views comics as a fine art deserving of broader cultural respect. ... Fantagraphics Books is an American publisher of alternative comics, classic comic strip anthologies, magazines, graphic novels, and the adult-oriented Eros Comix imprint. ...

Groth is best known as a strong supporter of art, intellectualism, and creator ownership. He is also well known for his contentious personality, which has led to many feuds in the comics industry.

In the late 1960s and early 1970s, Groth published a fanzine named Fantastic Fanzine. For a time, he worked as an assistant to Jim Steranko. In 1976, he formed the Fantagraphics publishing company with Kim Thompson and Mike Cantron, took over an adzine named The Nostalgia Journal and soon renamed it The Comics Journal. The Comics Journal applied rigorous critical standards to comic books, generally disparaging mainstream superhero books in favor of more daring artists like R. Crumb and Art Spiegelman. The magazine also became known for lengthy, freewheeling interviews with comics professionals, many of them conducted by Groth himself. Captain America #111 (March 1969): Sterankos signature surrealism. ... Fantagraphics Books is an American publisher of alternative comics, underground comics, classic comic strip anthologies, magazines, and graphic novels located in the Maple Leaf neighborhood of Seattle, Washington. ... Superman and Batman, two of the most recognizable and iconic superheroes. ... Robert Crumb (born August 30, 1943 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) is an artist and illustrator who signs his work R. Crumb. Crumb was a founder of the underground comics movement, and is often regarded as the most prominant figure in that movement. ... Art Spiegelman (born February 15, 1948) is an American comics artist, editor and advocate for the medium of comics, best known for his Pulitzer Prize winning comic memoir, Maus. ...

In the early '80s Fantagraphics began publishing its own comics, most notably Love and Rockets. They would publish more comics as the decades went on (everything from Peter Bagge's Hate to Daniel Clowes's Eightball to Chris Ware's Acme Novelty Library), while also continuing to publish The Comics Journal, leaving them open to accusations of bias in their reviewing. Love and Rockets may refer to: Love and Rockets (comics) Love and Rockets (band) This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Peter Bagge is an American comics artist and creator of Hate, Neat Stuff, Martini Baton, and Sweatshop. ... Daniel Gillespie Clowes (born April 14, 1961 in Chicago) is an author, screenwriter, and cartoonist of alternative comic books, including Eightball and Lloyd Llewelyn. ... Eightball is an alternative comic book series written and drawn by Daniel Clowes. ... The cover to the collected edition of Jimmy Corrigan by Chris Ware Franklin Christenson Ware (born December 28, 1967) is an American comic book artist and cartoonist, best-known for a series of comics called the Acme Novelty Library, and a graphic novel, Jimmy Corrigan, the Smartest Kid on Earth. ... The cover ACME Novelty Library issue 15 Acme Novelty Library is a singular and artistically adventurous comic book created by Chicago cartoonist Chris Ware and published by Fantagraphics Books. ... The Comics Journal is an American magazine of news and criticism pertaining to comic books and strips. ...

In the early '90s the comics industry suffered a collapse, and Fantagraphics, struggling to stay afloat, began publishing the Eros line of pornographic comics. The move caused still more controversy within the industry, but saved the company.

Cantron left the company early on, but Groth and Thompson continue with it to this day. Fantagraphics currently operates out of a small house in a Seattle suburb, but nonetheless is widely regarded as the chief publisher of alternative comics today. City nickname Emerald City City bird Great Blue Heron City flower Dahlia City mottos The City of Flowers The City of Goodwill City song Seattle, the Peerless City Mayor Greg Nickels County King County Area   - Total   - Land   - Water   - % water 369. ... The term alternative comics is one of several labels applied to a range of comics that have appeared since about 1980, in the wake of the underground comix movement of the late 1960s and early 70s. ...